Pharmacies may have sold sensitive medical information, report finds

ATLANTA - A new report out says that pharmacies, where we make some of our most personal purchases, is sharing that very sensitive data. But you can protect yourself from this oversharing. 

The report is startling and a wake-up call. Our pharmacies are selling this, it says, to social media companies. I mean, does Facebook need to know that you’re buying a pregnancy test? Here’s what’s happening. 

KFF Health News with "The Mark Up" found trackers called "pixels" that gather your data. This is what you not only buy but what you simply browse on their sites, too. And this information is shared, the report says, with Google, Meta and Microsoft. 

These trackers track back to websites like CVS, Costco, Food Lion, Kroger, Sam’s Club, Walgreens, Walmart, and more. These groups are tracking shopper info for Plan B, pregnancy tests, and pre-natal vitamins as well as HIV tests. 

I think we can all agree, that these are pretty personal purchases that you might not want anyone to know about. So here’s how you can put an end to this. You know those cookie preference pop-ups that ask if you will accept them all? Well don’t. Open up the option to limit that.

This investigation also shows that some websites send out sensitive clinical information that you might answer in online Q&A, like the questions you get before a vaccine to make sure you are eligible.  Your answers to ‘Do you have HIV or do you have cancer’ are sold to third parties.

HIPPA, the law that protects your healthcare privacy, kicks in when you buy a prescription. But when you purchase an over-the-counter item, the retailer can and doe sell that information. 

Go here to take a deep look at the 12 drugs stores in this investigation: YOUR MEDICAL HISTORY FOR SALE